Lucas Paqueta, a West Ham footballer who has been accused of alleged breaches of betting rules, could potentially be facing a lifetime ban, according to reports from Sky Sports. The Football Association (FA) is said to be seeking a “lifetime ban” for the 27-year-old Brazilian international, who was previously linked with a move to Manchester City.
In May 2024, the FA accused Paqueta of committing four offences related to his conduct in Premier League matches. These matches include West Ham’s games against Leicester City on November 12, 2022; Aston Villa on March 12, 2023; Leeds United on May 21, 2023; and AFC Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.
The FA believes that Lucas Paqueta intentionally sought to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting betting. Investigators have noted that the midfielder received four suspicious yellow cards between 2022 and 2023, which could have been used to profit dozens of people in his country.
The West Ham player’s hearing on the betting charges is scheduled to take place this month and is expected to last three weeks. It will be one of the longest court proceedings in FA history.
Since the investigation began, Lucas Paqueta has maintained his innocence. In a statement released shortly after the case broke, he expressed his concerns about the leaking and publication of false information, which he believes is putting his ability to receive a fair trial at risk. Paqueta stated that he will continue to deny the charges and hopes to be able to prove his innocence.
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